British politician accuses govt of outsourcing torture to Pakistan

Conservative David Davis, a British opposition politician, accused the British government and intelligence agents of ‘outsourcing’ the capture and torture of British terrorism suspect Rangzieb Ahmed in 2006, reports Reuters.

Davis said Ahmed was tortured at the hands of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence directorate (ISI).

“A more obvious case of outsourcing of torture, a more obvious case of passive rendition, I cannot imagine,” Davis, told parliament late on Tuesday, according to video on www.parliamentlive.tv.

In 2006, Ahmed travelled to Pakistan from Britain, in spite of being under surveillance by British police for his suspected involvement in terrorism activities. Soon after his departure, the British intelligence agents notified Pakistan’s ISI of Ahmed’s travel plans, Davis said.

Ahmed was subsequently arrested and tortured for 13 months.

“He should have been arrested by the UK in 2006,” Davis said. “He was not. The authorities knew that he intended to travel to Pakistan, so they should have prevented that. Instead, they suggested the ISI arrest him.

“They knew he would be tortured, and they organized to construct a list of questions and provide it to ISI.”